A trainee reporter is using his wedding next year as inspiration for a weight-loss mission.

Liam Hoden, of the weekly South Yorkshire Times, is marrying his girlfriend Leanne next summer.

But growing increasingly frustrated with his 17-stone size, Liam has decided to use the key date as a target by when to shed four stone.

He has already signed up with a local leisure centre and readers of the paper will be able to keep abreast of Liam’s progress through his monthly diary page and internet blog.

In his blog, the 23-year-old writes with great candidness about how his weight has yo-yoed while studying at university and travelling.

Liam, who finished a newspaper Masters course at Nottingham Trent University last summer, said: “At university, I ballooned over a period of a few years.

“Then I went travelling and lost weight but when I came back I went from not eating much to eating whatever I wanted and I put a lot of weight on.

“I felt a lot happier with myself when I was thinner. I would say it bothered me all the time, being heavy.

Liam says he is determined to beat the bulge and the wedding date has given him plenty of time to lose the weight, and more importantly, keep it off.

He is using the accountability of his blog and monthly column in the South Yorkshire Times as his motivation.

He added: “I’ve had quite a lot of support – my mum is always pushing me to lose weight. She’s always on a diet herself, it seems.

“My girlfriend is helping too, she’s quite slim herself and is supportive. It’s a good thing.”

Readers can follow Liam’s progress at his online blog.